This study investigated the determination eligibility practices for Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) within Mississippi school districts, framed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 2004 (IDEA) and Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) guidelines. A survey of 139 educational professionals in Mississippi offered insights into…

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the perspectives of educational diagnosticians regarding male and female students receiving special education services in central Texas public schools. Since educational diagnosticians are the professionals who determine if students are eligible for special education services by administering…

The lack of validated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening instruments hampers rehabilitation efforts for children with ASD in Africa. In the present study, the psychometric properties of two ASD screening instruments, that have been well-validated in the United States (US) context, were examined in the Ugandan context. These instruments were…

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest-growing neurodevelopmental disorder (Baio et al., 2018), yet little information is available regarding the psychometric properties of the most commonly used ASD identification tools in school settings, particularly within traditionally culturally and linguistically minoritized populations (Boyd et al.,…

In the United States, children with disabilities receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which provides free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). Evidence shows that parents of children who receive special education (SPED) experience conflict within…

Although changes in the identification of dyslexia have shifted in recent years, the rate of identification of dyslexia for English Learners (ELs) continues to lag behind that of monolinguals. Using a large sample of student data reported in the Public Education Information Management system (PEIMS) across two school years (2013-14 and 2019-20;…

This research study was a qualitative narrative inquiry study guided through two theoretical frameworks, LatCrit and DisCrit. The experiences of six Latinx elementary school principals as students, educators, and leaders were researched to see how their experiences and knowledge influence their leadership while leading at a predominantly Latinx…

Dysgraphia is a specific learning disability in the area of written language that is frequently under-identified in the school setting due to inconsistent application of dysgraphia assessment. The problem addressed in this study was the inconsistency in dysgraphia assessment processes, in Texas public school systems, that contribute to an…

With the number of Hispanic students increasing in public schools across the United States, especially in Florida, instructional leaders should recognize Hispanic students being identified for special education programs. The problem was that Hispanic students may be misclassified, inappropriately identified, or disproportionately represented in…

Due to lack of consistency among diagnosis practices of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) in the state of Texas, as well as other legal matters regarding diagnoses of SLD, there is a divide among eligibility criteria for students around the state. Currently, the three models that have received the most attention of SLD…

Educator expertise is urgently needed in supporting young children displaying early markers of dyslexia; yet, there remains an abundance of neuromyths associated with dyslexia that need remediation in order to provide effective interventions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine kindergarten through Grade two educators' baseline…

The problem was general and special educators' perceptions of educational accomplishments and disability needs in twice-exceptional (2e) children may have possible drawbacks for referral admittance into the gifted program curriculum. Little research had been undertaken regarding the teacher perceptions of 2e on the identification process, creating…

Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) represent roughly five percent of U.S. public school students aged 3-21. Current federal policy outlines guidelines for identification of SLDs, while ultimately leaving specific procedures to the determination of state and local education agencies. Research into how the method used in…

Historically, African American students have been overrepresented in special education (National Education Association [NEA], 2007. Specifically, African American students have been identified with an emotional disturbance (ED) in special education at an excessive rate in comparison to students of other racial and ethnic categories (Office of…

In this dissertation, I describe patterns of educational placement for students with disabilities, test the degree to which placement is impacted by student and school variables, and offer practical guidance for how schools can promote the principle of least restrictive environment (LRE) to promote access to general education classrooms to the…